courtney

Montreal seems to have a particular grip on the Red Bull Music Academy. Known for their multifaceted, 5-week long residencies held in a different country each year, the Academy’s decision to host a long weekend on the island only a year after last year’s impressive 2016 edition came as a welcome surprise. Whether this was due…

“This used to be my office,” says Dax Dasilva with a laugh. The founder of Never Apart points to the enclosed glass room in front of us, decorated to look like an abandoned travel agency: unflattering dim light, gray carpet covered in airline logos, Hawaiian lei hanging off an open glass case like a guest…

Moment Factory is a studio at the height of its powers. Based in Montreal, but with international branches spreading across the Northern Hemisphere, the award-winning multimedia and entertainment studio creates, well, moments: visceral, visual experiences that aim to reassess the way you interact, physically and mentally within a given environment. While this may seem like…

“I feel like we deserve to be here, for sure,” says Johnny Griffin as he squints at me from across the large picnic table, sun in his eyes, “I just didn’t expect us to play this year.” The rest of John Jacob Magistery laugh or nod in agreement, knowing full well that while they are labelled ‘up-and-coming,’…

Surprisingly minimalist yet ultimately affective, Seoul are a dream-pop band on the rise. Recently signed to Last Gang Records, the enigmatic Montreal-based trio are set to release their debut LP, I Become A Shade on June 9th. We had the chance to chat with Julian, Dexter, and Nigel—responding together as a unit—before the release. “Everything we…

Yardlets have a partnership that would make most other musicians jealous. A power-duo of sorts and friends since forever ago, Sam Goldberg Jr. (of Broken Social Scene) and Jeff Edwards both live by the same set of principles: create what you want when you want to, and have fun doing it. While this may be…

Aside from moving into a new apartment and buying some clothes from his neighbourhood Renaissance, few things have changed in Airick Woodhead’s world since being signed to Sub Pop. “I feel a bit more sustainable now,” he tells me on the way to his studio at the Torn Curtain, “there’s definitely been a mentality shift.…

Benjamin Booker is not having the best day. He’s standing on stage at the Sala Rossa for a sound check that was supposed to be done an hour ago; a sound check which, in all due respect, isn’t going well. His manager who seems like a rather level-headed guy—who greeted us at the door…

Halfway through the film ‘A City is an Island,’ we see Mac Demarco sitting in the bathroom of his Montreal apartment, giving the camera his best come-hither look as he pees while sitting down. The fluorescent light above the sink casts everything in a murky glow, while Mac, as calm as ever, serenades the camera…

Another POP Montreal festival has come and gone, and this year’s was as good as any. Taking over venues and taverns around town from last Wednesday to Sunday, the festival presented over 600 artists in just five days, making for one crazy schedule. While the talent at this year’s edition was endless, here are some…